Photographic tripod.



- Patented July 25, i899; w. H. LEWIS.

PHDTDGRAPHIC TRIPOD.

(Application filed Mar. 18, 1899.)

4 u n u a I I 'IIIIII (No llodei.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM H. LEWIS, OF HUNTINGTON, NEYVYORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THE E. 8: H. T. ANTHONY do COMPANY, OF NEW YORK.

PH OTOG RAPH'lC TFHPODL SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 629,379, dated July 25, 1899.

Application filed March 18, 1899. Serial No. 109,631. (No model.)

To all) zqhontit may concern:

' Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. LEWIS, a citizen of the UnitedSta'tes, and a resident of Huntington, in thecounty of Sufiolk and State of New York, have'invented a new'and useful Improvement in' Photographic Tripods, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents an elevation of a tripod embodying my invention, the legs being broken off. Fig. 2 illustrates a view, partly in section, of the upper ends of one of the legs, showing its engagement with the table, doc. Fig. 3 illustrates a view, partly in section, of the thumb-screw whereby the camera is attached to the tripod.

The purpose of this inveniionis to insure greater stability in camera-tripods and also to insure against accidental disconnection between thelegs and the table thereof, thus overcoming certain objections found to exist in many forms of tripods as heretofore made.

Under my invention the parts composing the upper sections of the legs of the tripod are made to engage with considerable rigidity against the ears or equivalent devices attached to the under side of the table of the tripod, so that a large proportion of the disturbing agencies, such as the blowing of the wind, &c., will be resisted and the camera maintained in a stationary position.

Aillustrates the upper part or table of the tripod. l

B B are the duplex jonrnalplates for the legs, which may be attached to the table A in the usual manner.

F is the axis for the leg of the tripod. It is provided with a transverse notch or groove G (see Fig. 2) near one end and with an elon- V gated groove or depression l-l near the other end. It passes transversely through the upper ends of the parts 0 C composing the up per section of the leg, as shown, and pins or smallnails l I are driven through the upper .sections of the leg in such manner that the pin I shall enter the notch G, formed in the axis F,and the pin '1 shall enter the elongated notch H in the opposite end of the axis.

K is a spring (preferably, but not necessarily, coiled, as shown) which is located between the parts 0 O of the upper sections of the legs encompassing the axis F. Any other form of spring suitably arranged may be employed instead of the form specified.

The journal-plates B Bhave holes L L made through them, in which the axis F of the legs are journaled.

The operation of my invention is as follows To engage the legs with thetable A, theextendible sections D of the legs are first extended more or less to permit the parts 0 C of the upper'sections-of the legs to approach each. other. Then the parts 0 O are pressed toward one another, compressing the spring K, during which operation the cross-pin 1 travels longitudinally through the elongated notch H, made in the axis F, whereupon one end (preferably the left-hand end) of the axis F is entered intothe appropriate hole L of the journal-plates B, and if the compres sion of the parts be sufficient the right-hand end can then be brought into proper registration with the hole L in the right-hand journal-plate B.- Thereupon, the pressure being 'released, the spring K will force the two parts C G of the upper section of the leg apart, so that they will engage with considerable force against the inner surfaces of the journal-platesB B in such manner that a very considerable degree of rigidity will be given to the structure, for the reasonthat the power of the spring K is applied directly at the axes of thelegs and conveyed through them to the journal-plates B B of the table. Thus a stifi or measurably rigid connection between the legs and the table of the tripod is secured and no loss or disarrangement of the parts is possible, because the axis F and also the spring which spreads the legsare both permanent parts of the legs and always main-- tain their position ready for operation; also, one hand only is necessary to operate the de vice, and since under my preferred construction the spring encircles the axis no buckling of it is possible. The construction is simple, durable, and inexpensive.

In Fig. 3 I illustrate an improvement in the form of the screw which connects the camera with the table. a is the screw, and b the thumb-nut whereby the screw a is turned. The thumb-nut b is made of sheet metal, and the shaft 0 thereof is given a half-turn. It is connected with the screw or by a pivot (1, so that it may be folded at right angles to said screw. By reason of the fact that the shaft 0 of the thumb-nut is given a half-turn when folded it rests flatly against the under side of the table between the journal-plates B. So compactness is secured.

It will be obvious to those who are familiar with this art that various modifications may be made in the details of construction of my invention. Forexample,asheretoforestated, the spring K may be made in difierent form .and'd ifferently arranged. The journ al-plates B may also be differently constructed and the details of construction of the axis F may be modified, and in other respects the details shown may be altered without departing from the essentials of the invention.

I claim- 1. In a photographic tripod the combination of journal-plates on the table of the tripod, an axis-bar rigidly attached to the upper end of one of two parts composing the upper section of the legs and slidingly mounted in the other and extending beyond them laterally at each side, and a spring interposed between the upper ends of the parts composing the upper section of the legs and abutting against them, for the purposes set forth.

2. Inaphotographictripod the combination of journal-plates on the table of the tripod, an axis at the upper ends of the parts composing the upper section of the legs of the tripod, having at one end a notch and at the other end an elongated depression or recess, pins passing through the parts composing the upper section of the legs engaging respectively with said notches or recesses in the axis, and a spring interposed between the upper ends of the parts composing the upper section of the legs, for the purposes set forth.

3. In a photographic tripod the combination of journal-plates on the table of the tripod, an axis at the upper ends of the parts composing the upper section of the legs of the'tripod, having at one end a notch and at the other end an elongated depression or recess, pins passing through the parts composing the upper section of the legs engaging respectively with said notches or recesses in the axis, and a spring encompassing said axis, for the purposes set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 16th day of March, A. D. 1899.

WILLIAM H. LEWIS.

' Witnesses:

PHILLIPS ABBOTT, D. S. RITTERBAND. 

